Folding basket



(No Model.)

C. G. EGERTON.

FOLDING BASKET.

No. 492,379. Patented Feb. 21, 1893.v

Fly] Charles Liberian UNTTED STATES PATENT Orrrcnn CHARLES C. EGERTON, OF BALTIMORE, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN G. ROUSE, OF BEL AIR, MARYLAND.

FOLDING BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,379, dated February 21, 1893.

Application filed September 10, 1892. Serial No. 445,517. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES C. EGERTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful lImprovements in Folding Baskets; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in collapsible or folding baskets and has for its object the provision of a basket of this character of a simple and inexpensive construction, easy of manipulation, and one which when folded for transportation or storage shall occupy the smallest possible space and which when opened for use shall present a perfectly rigid structure without undue obstructions or mechanism in its interior, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a basket of this character provided with my improvements, in which drawings-M Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of the basket, and Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along the line 2--2 in Fig. l.. Figs. 3 and t are details of the catch,which will be referred to hereinafter and Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing the basket in an inverted position for closing it.

The basket is formed of a hoop 1, bent to the proper oblong rounded form usually given to the upper edge of a basket, and a bottom plate 2, consisting of a dat plate, both of which parts I prefer to form of some light wood or metal suited to the purpose. The hoop 1 is covered over with canvas or other stout flexible material 8, which forms the sides of the basket and .is secured to said hoop 1 in any preferred manner, as by rivets or tacks as shown, and extends down and is secured at its lower edges to the bottom 2 by means of a iexible wooden or metal strip 4, between which and the Aedges of the bottom 2, the canvas 3 is clamped. The manner of securing the canvas'to the top and bottom of the basket is however immaterial to my invention and I do not wish to be limited to the precise method herein shown.

5 is the handle, formed as herein shown, of a single strip of wood bent to substantially the same form as the hoop 2, and vunited at its ends in any preferred manner so as to make it continuous whereby either end can be used for carrying the basket and the other end' used for holding it open or expanded. By this construction the device is more convenient and a more rigid and substantial handle is secured. This handle is of such dimensions that, when folded down as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1, it will lie closely inside the hoop 1, to which it is pivoted at its middle portion 6, on each side. Thus it will be seen that when it is desired to use the basket it is only necessary to raise the handle 5 to its upright vertical position as indicated in Fig. 2, and when it is desired to fold the basket it is only necessary to push the handle 5 over sidewise and fold it within the hoop l, said handle when in its upright position resting against the bottom plate 2 at its lower end and acting as a brace to hold the basket open.

In order to insure against the accidental collapsing of the basket while in use, I have t provided a catch or retaining device for engaging the lower end of the handle 5 when the same is in its erect position", whereby the same is firmly held in such position against all accidental endwise movement, and this retaining device I will now describe with especial reference to Figs. 3 and 4.. Mounted on the bottom plate 2 of the basket at about the center thereof is a casing 6 provided with perforated lugs for the reception of screws whereby it is secured in place to said plate. This casing 6 has a transverse recess 7, formed in its underside, and a slot or opening 8 extending entirely through it at right angles to said recess 7. Mounted in the recess 7 in the underside of the casing 6 is a dog 9, seen detached in Fig. 4,which is of a general T shape, having journals 10, 10, oppositely formed on its rear end which engage the transverse recess in the casing, the body of the dog pass- IOO ing through the slot 8 as seen in Fig. l, and the jaw 1l thereof being directed downwardly, toward the bottom plate 2 of the basket, against which it rests at its base. This jaw is also provided with an inclined outer face l2, as seen, and when the dogisin place in the basket provides a space between itselfand the body of the casing for the reception of the lower end of the handle 5 when the same is in its erect position, as I will now describe.

As stated the casing, together with the dog is secured to the bottom plate 2 of the basket at about the central portion thereof and consequently lies immediately beneath the pivot points of the handle and in the same vertical plane therewith. Therefore, as Will be readily understood, when said handle is turned upon its pivots and assumes the upright position seen in full lines in Fig. l, its lower end will take under the depending jaw Il of the dog' 9 lifting said dog which when the handle has passed completely beneath it into the space to the rear thereof again falls to its normall position and locks the handle firmly in its erect position. By this means the basket will be rigidly held open and prevented from be-` ing-accidentally collapsed as would be the case wei'e no means provided for that purpose. In order to fold the basket after it has been thus opened, it is only necessary to lift the latch or invert the basket as seen in Fig. 5, when the dog 9 will fall by gravity, allowing the handle to be moved from beneath it Vand to be folded compactly within the hoop 1.

My improved collapsible basket as herein shown presents many important advantages over other constructions of a similar nature heretofore devised, among which may be mentioned its cheapness, simplicity of construction aiidits convenience of manipulation.

Another important advantage of my construction lies in the fact that the interior of the basket is comparatively free from obstructions, the catch plate and dog rising but little above the general level of the bottom 2, and there beingno openings or crevices in the bottom of the basket, dirt will not collect therein and become foul or hinder the operation of the catch. Moreover, the handle 5 being of the form shown iscapable of being compactly folded Within the hoop l when the basket is folded and does not increase the bulk of the basket when in that condition.

I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of the parts as herein shown, for

it is obvious that many changes and alterations may be made therein without material departure from its principles.

For instance, in lieu of the retaining device herein described for holding the handle in its erect position, a shallow groove might be formed transversely across the center of the bottom plate 2, directly under the pivot points of the handle as indicated by the dotted lines at in Fig. 5, which would serve to receive the handle whenV turned on its pivot in either d irection, said handle being firmly held in position in said groove by the elasticity of the canvas siding 3 of the basket. n

Having thus described i'ny invention, I claiml. In a collapsible basket, the combination with a rigid hoop and a bottom plate united by a flexible siding, of a continuous elliptical bail or handle centrally pivoted at each side to said hoop, each end of which is adapted to engage with the bottom plate substantially as set forth.V

2. In a collapsible basket, the combination with a rigid hoop and an imperforate bottom plate united byaiiexible siding, of a continuous elliptical bail or handle centrally pivoted at each side to said hoop, each end of which is adapted to engage with the bottom plate and a retaining device for locking said bail to said bottom plate, substantially as set forth.

3. In a collapsible basket, the combination with a rigid hoop and a bottom plate united by a flexible siding, ofa continuous elliptical bail or handle, centrally pivoted to said hoop at each side, each end of which is adapted to engage with the bottom plate an abutment centrally arranged on said bottom plate, and a dog, pivoted to said abutment and Yhaving a depending jaw, said dog and abutment lying in the path of the lower end of the handle when the same is turned on its pivot, substantially as set forth.

4. In a collapsible basket, the combination with a rigid hoop and a bottom plate united by a flexible siding, of a continuous elliptical bail or handle centrally pivoted at each side to said hoop, each end of which is adapted to engage with the bottom plate, a casing centrally mounted ou said bottom plate and forming an abut-ment for the lower end of the handle, and a dog pivoted in said casing and having a depending jaw arranged in the path of the lower end of vthe handle when turned on its pivot, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES C. EGERTON.

Witnesses:

JNo. T. MADDoX, J. HARRY DEWALL.

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